Blue Isle Studios announced today that fans can start with pre-orders for Slender: The Arrival. In addition to some pretty tidy savings, you'll also get access to a playable beta. The studio is offering orders in different tiers, each with their own advantages. As listed by the Blue Isle site:
Instant Beta Access
Pre-order and we'll grant you beta access to the PC version of the game today. Be among the first people to play the game before our March 26th release date. The beta will contain our revamped update of the now infamous forest from Slender: The Eight Pages. Get ready to experience the fear all over again.
50% Indie Friendly Discount
On launch day, the game will go on sale for $10. As a special gift to everyone pre-ordering, we've decided to let you give yourself a discount of up to 50%. You decide what to pay. Play the game for the price of $5, or pay a little more to help support independent game development; we'll even throw in some cool rewards if you decide to support us.
We'll give you a downloadable copy of the game on release, as well as access to our beta test today
Same as the pre-order discount, but you are feeling generous. Thank you!
You get a downloadable copy of the game, access to the beta, and a downloadable copy of the game's soundtrack on release day
We'll send you everything listed above, plus 5 downloadable high resolution paintings from the game
You get everything listed above, plus a very special thank you with your name listed in the game's credits alongside the developers
Now, about that beta gameplay footage...Below is an idea as to what you'll be getting yourself into if you go with a pre-order. Yes, the beta at this moment is all about collecting pages, not unlike the first, free game, but story elements will be added before the entire game is released.
The Arrival is currently in devlopment by the creator of the first, free-to-play Slender Man game, Mark Hadley. Gameplay should be fairly similar, as, according to developer Blue Isle, "Slender: The Arrival is the official re-imagining of the original release that will engage players with the same terrifying gameplay, while adding a complete gaming experience that the fans have been asking for. We have been working closely with Mark over the past few weeks and we are really excited to deliver the best Slender game possible. The final version will include improved visuals, more content, more levels, and an engaging storyline to add to the Slender setting. The commercial release is planned to launch on PC in the coming months. We'll provide more details on the game in the near future."
If you never heard of the lanky entity, he's the quintessential example of the modern day urban legend. Whereas once upon a time, tales of the escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand were once shared around a campfire, similarly structured stories are now spread through the internet. Initially beginning as a thread dedicated to creating scary images through photo manipulation at Something Awful's forum in 2009. Then it spread like cancer to various other sites and publications including Fangoria, Bungie, Kongregate, DeviantArt, Mythical Creatures Guide, 4chan, and others.
Hadley teamed with Marble Hornets creators Joseph DeLage, Troy Wagner, and Tim Sutton to develop the story, so this time around, players won't be wandering around the woods with nary a reason why.
While he's been the subject of multiple fan fics, and psuedo-documentaries, Slender: The Arrival represents the tall man's first "official" videogame debut as a commercial release.
Slender: The Arrival is planned for a launch on PC sometime this year. Development is being considered for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and mobile versions.
